Australia snap England's winning streak

Michael Clarke's unbeaten 99 helped Australia win the fourth one-day international at The Oval here on Wednesday and reduce England's lead to 3-1 in the five-match series.

Vice-captain Clarke and captain Ricky Ponting, 92, shared a third wicket stand of 155 as Australia made 290 for five.

England, chasing a ninth straight ODI win, saw swing bowler Ryan Harris take five of their wickets for 32 runs.

The man of the match did the damage in a spell of five for 18 in 23 balls as England's series lead was reduced to 3-1 after they were bowled out for 212 with 44 balls to spare.

Opener Craig Kieswetter was bowled by Harris and Pietersen, walking well across his stumps, fell lbw to an inswinger for eight -- the 15th successive ODI innings where he'd failed to make fifty.

England captain Andrew Strauss, fresh from his 87 in Sunday's one-wicket win at Old Trafford, looked in superb touch as he stroked five fours in making 37. But fast bowler Shaun Tait, from around the wicket, got a full length ball to curve away and left-hander Strauss was caught behind to leave England in trouble at 61 for three.

Eoin Morgan's first scoring shot was a straight six off James Hopes and he later struck the medium-pacer for two in as many balls. But, flashing outside off stump, he was caught behind off Harris for 47.

Luke Wright was then bowled round his legs, by Smith and, at 151 for six, England were all but out of the game.

Come the last 10 overs, England needed 93 to win with four wickets standing. Soon afterwards, though, Tim Bresnan holed out to long-on to give Harris his fourth wicket.

Harris ended the match by dismissing Stuart Broad for his third five-wicket ODI haul.

Clarke, dropped off a difficult chance on five, began the final over of Australia's innings on 98 and on strike.

He took a single off Tim Bresnan and had no care for what would have been only his fifth century in 178 ODIs -- and first against England -- as Smith retained the strike for the rest of the over.

Ponting had urged the team to restore pride and the top order to give their bowlers some runs to play with, and Australia's total was the best by either side this series.

His previous scores this series of 21, 13 and three were well below his own standards. However, he responded with a 93-ball innings featuring 10 fours and his progress towards a 30th century at this level seemed assured.

But he played an 'inside-out' drive against swing bowler James Anderson and was caught at extra-cover by Strauss.

And in his 350th match at this level, Ponting became only the third player, after India's Sachin Tendulkar and Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya, to score more than 13,000 ODI runs.

Earlier, after Strauss won the toss and fielded, wicketkeeper Tim Paine got a leading edged against Bresnan and was caught by Morgan to leave Australia 33 for one in the 10th over.

It was the first time this series their openers had failed to put on a fifty stand.

Ponting, though, was quickly into his stride, leg-glancing and cover-driving successive Bresnan deliveries for boundaries.

Shane Watson followed up with a straight driven six off Stuart Broad.

Australia were 73 for two when off-spinner Graeme Swann struck with his third ball to have Watson (41) caught at deep midwicket.

They nearly declined to 84 for three when Clarke, on five, saw a powerfully struck drive off Swann burst through the hands of Anderson at short extra-cover.